Basement Drains: Using Backflow Prevention Technology Correctly
The surrounding landscape, the elevation, prevailing climatic conditions, geology, the individual design of a home’s basement, and the household plumbing and drainage system may all potentially impact the ability of property owners to maintain a dry basement. While basement floor drains certainly don’t represent a “cure-all” solution to every potential water drainage problem, these drains may offer valuable protection against some specific types of water hazards. However, if your home includes a basement floor drain linked to a sewer system, you’ll want to make certain you use backflow prevention technology appropriately to help safeguard your premises against damage caused by sewer line clogs or backups.
Drain Backflow Prevention Technology
An infrequent but possible source of water pooling in lower levels of a home in some communities stems from backups in municipal sewer drain systems. This situation may potentially cause extensive damage. It also poses a significant threat to public health.
Today a variety of inexpensive backflow prevention devices on the marketplace assist homeowners in combatting this problem. Some of these low cost devices use check valves or even double check valves to stop water from backing up through drains and taps. If you own a home with a basement floor drain connected to a town sewer system should you go ahead and purchase some of these devices and install them in your home? Not necessarily. (We recommend seeking expert assistance.)
Treat Backflow Prevention Devices With Respect
As city planners have learned more about maintaining effective, sanitary and safe public services within prevailing environmental conditions, building codes in many locations have undergone periodic revisions. Today most of these regulations include complex plumbing provisions for the placement of backwater valves to prevent undesired sewer and drain backups. Communities with aging infrastructures sometimes include many older dwellings. The incorrect placement or installation of backwater valves in the past created enormous problems for some property owners and municipalities.
Incorrectly installed backwater valves and backwater valves placed in the wrong locations in a residence both cause significant problems. They may prevent a backup in one location, but create a bigger problem involving backflow at another spot. A homeowner who installs backflow prevention devices incorrectly may inadvertently contribute to residential plumbing problems, for instance.
A Variety of Basement Floor Drains
Adding to the complexity of this situation, some local areas mandate the use of specific types of backflow prevention devices, while others permit a wide variety. You’ll want to ensure any technology you install proves appropriate for your specific location and plumbing system. Fortunately, these devices today do not usually involve high costs: they typically offer an inexpensive, useful solution.
Additionally, not all basement floor drains connect to municipal sewer systems, even in homes located within urban areas. Some municipalities today require the connection of a basement floor drain to a sump pit; others still may not implement this requirement for some older buildings. It makes sense to consult with local building department personnel to clarify the specific type of floor drain (if any) in your basement.
Seek Expert Advice
For this reason, if you reside in a residence with a basement floor drain you believe connects directly to a municipal sewer system, it often proves useful to request an inspection of your basement by a waterproofing expert and public works department personnel before seeking the installation of one of these devices in your home. By checking first, you could prevent inadvertent damage caused by an improperly placed or incorrectly installed backflow prevention device. You’ll also make certain your modifications conform with current local building code requirements.
The correct use of prevention technology helps avoid plumbing catastrophes in many situations in which basement drains connected to sewer systems experience backflow. Basement floor drain backflow issues have occurred in some locations recently where municipal sewer and drainage systems faced pressure from protracted intense rainstorms, for instance. The messy and time-consuming cleanup typically involves considerable expense.
Waterproofing Services
By ensuring approved backflow prevention devices in basements work correctly, waterproofing experts perform a valuable service. When used properly, this technology may help save homeowners from painful losses. Contact Raleigh Waterproofing Solutions for assistance solving basement floor drain and waterproofing issues in our service area.